Filing period open for Ketchikan’s municipal elections

Ketchikan residents interested in running for local office: the filing period opened today.

Paperwork is available through the City of Ketchikan and Ketchikan Gateway Borough clerks’ offices.

Open seats in play for the October municipal election include city mayor, now held by Bob Sivertsen. So far one challenger has emerged: Vice-mayor Dave Kiffer who filed papers to run on Monday. Kiffer’s term on the council expires in 2023.  Should he be elected mayor, it would create another vacancy on the city council.

There are also two seats open this year on the Ketchikan City Council. The three-year seats currently are held by Sam Bergeron and Janalee Gage. Jai Mahtani, who ran for council last year, is putting his hat in the ring again.

To qualify for city elected office, registered voters must be at least 18 years old and have lived inside Ketchikan city limits for at least a year.

There are two open seats on the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly now held by Sven Westergard and Felix Wong. Wong cannot run for re-election due to term limits.

Three three-year seats are open on the Ketchikan Gateway Borough School Board. Those seats currently are held by Nichole Anderson, Kim Hodne and Doug Gregg. The seat held by Gregg was vacated by Sonya Skan earlier this year.

The deadline to file for local elected office is 5 p.m on Aug. 25^th. The election is October 5^th. To qualify for the ballot, a petitioner must gather at least 10 signatures. For city elections those voters must also live inside the city limits.

For full disclosure, Jai Mahtani is a KRBD board member.